Kanal 103 FM is the best independent radio program in the whole of the Balkans, never mind Macedonia. I’ve had many friends work there and produce amazing shows, so when Gjorgji Janevski let me know that this compilation was out, I rushed to hear it! From stotrojka’s (the label associated with Kanal 103 FM) Bandcamp site: “Kanal 103 turns 33. Our birthday compilation is up. This time, Macedonian music only. A lots of first times and debuts, new and established names, some crazy pseudonyms, rockers going electronic, bedroom songs, postcards from our music diaspora, and also some rarities and archival…
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Although I’m happy to say I’m a longtime fan of Cousin Silas’ work, I had no idea what to expect from Glove of Bones, a project I knew nothing about until reading their webpage. I still know little about the band in terms of bio, but what a great impression they make on an album! The album sounds like a combination of early ambient and a touch of Popol Vuh’s later, more acoustic moments; not that the album is acoustic, but the vibe is certainly similar. An elegant album.
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Absolute respect to the estimable Ernesto Diaz-Infante for telling me about this noble cause. Foxy Digitalis has a nearly 3o-year track record, first as a xeroxed zine, and the in its current digital incarnatiom, of reviewing what I would rate as the absolute best of non-mainstream music. This compilation, featuring Ernesto, Lawrence English, Yann Novak, zàke, Stephen Vitiello and a number of names who are new to me, but no less impressive, have contributed tracks for the purpose of helping to keep Foxy Digitalis up and running. Do consider a donation. The magazine, as I hope is the case with…
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Dutch composer Jos Smolders, a friend of this site, has a new release out on Portugal’s Crónica Electronica Records. This is a sample of the text associated with the album, which you can read in full here. “Each Textuur project is built up in a similar fashion. There are two groups of sound. First there are the collections which consist of samples of the original material. The other group consists of various permutations. The samples from the collections are torn apart into threads of various widths and subsequently rewoven into a new synthetic fabric. Sound is thus stripped from its…
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This is a charmingly freakish album from the French band Musala nan Eilan which has the audacity to combine post-rock with Celtic music, among other genres. From the band’s Bandcamp site: “Five musicians who don’t know each other, coming from different musical worlds, finding themselves under the same roof for some weekends. Discovering each other, trying to understand each other, making everyone’s tastes and expectations collide. From these moments shared together a sort of musical glossolalia was born. A language specific to the five musicians, which none of them really understands. A clumsy praise to the clash of influences. An…
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After a long, rather painful, but necessary break, we are back! Thank you kindly for your patience. We start off with an album I’ve anticipated for awhile now, as I have been immersing myself in the works of Dirty Three’s leader Warren Ellis and his collaborations with Nick Cave as well as Warren’s own solo soundtrack albums. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Dirty Three Ahoy! Appropriately disheveled, the Three emerge from the unending waves of time to pick up their guitar drum and viola/violin/piano/synthesizer/loops/percussion for their first album in a decade. Their playing encompasses ALL – from the original fury…
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In the about section, you will see two names referenced as being responsible for Music You Need To Hear: myself and Steven Michael Shore. I met Steven in 1991 along with my brother, Ralph, and my friend, Brian, as we studied at a place called Trebas Institute after I had left Chino Police Department wondering what my next career step would be. Steven was somewhat larger than life by reputation (though you wouldn’t know it by talking with him), having worked with a couple of bands who left a sizeable mark on the new wave scene, as well as having…
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Far Out Recordings graces us with yet another vital release out of South America. This one by Opa is a little treasure out of Uruguay, not exactly known as a hot-spot for jazz fusion (at least not when compared to Brazil or, maybe, Argentina). This record, shelved for reasons unknown, has finally seen the light of day. There will be no digital release of the album (only vinyl and CD), but you can hear a slice courtesy of Youtube.
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The legendary goth-rock band And Also The Trees have been around since 1979, and are still recording elegant post-punk music that is richly produced with acoustic instruments, drones and electronics. Fine listening.
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I will be taking some time off from the blog soon, as the co-founder of this site, Steven Shore will no longer be among the living. For now, I leave you with something sunny.